


Christmas Switch

by Minervas_Revenge



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Post-War, Strictly Lumione, christmas 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:06:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21765424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minervas_Revenge/pseuds/Minervas_Revenge
Summary: Tired of her parents’ constant pestering about finding a boyfriend and settling down, Hermione asks Draco to pretend to be her boyfriend at Christmas dinner. What happens when he suddenly can’t make it?
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Lucius Malfoy
Comments: 20
Kudos: 258
Collections: Strictly Lumione Christmas Fest 2019





	Christmas Switch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lexiatel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lexiatel/gifts).

> Written for Strictly Lumione Facebook Group's 2019 Christmas Fic Fest. 
> 
> I had no ideas but Lexiatel gave me this one and I wrote it in two days! Thank you, Lexi!

“He’s late,” pointed-out Emily Granger unnecessarily. 

Hermione sat at her parents’ lavishly set dinner table, forcing herself not to roll her eyes. Since bringing them back from Australia, her parents constantly peppered her with inquiries about her dating life and when she was going to settle down. She supposed it was what parents did once their children reached a certain age but Hermione had no prospects. She wasn’t dating and wasn’t interested in dating anyone who she knew to be single.

Boys were such… _Boys_.

With Astoria visiting family in Sweden, Hermione felt free to ask Draco to be her “date” for Christmas dinner. He was positively gleeful to participate in a ruse.

The doorbell rang and relief shoved weight off of Hermione’s shoulders that she didn’t even realize she was holding. She threw back the rest of the wine in her glass, ready for another.

When Lucius Malfoy followed her father into the dining room, Hermione choked on her wine and began coughing.

“Are you alright, darling?” Lucius asked, hand solicitously caressing her back.

“Mother of Merlin,” Hermione whispered, pressing a suddenly-painful spot between her eyes.

“Fine. I’m fine,” she said, smiling only slightly madly at Lucius as he took the chair beside her.

He winked at her and Hermione fought the urge to burst into laughter. Her parents would never buy it.

“So, this is your… Boyfriend?” her father, David, asked.

“Well,” Hermione began.

“Hermione has graced me with her company for dinner a few evenings. I don’t believe we’ve put a label on anything,” Lucius smoothly replied. “This looks lovely, Mrs. Granger.”

Hermione felt uncontrollable giggles well up in her throat and covered her face with the napkin from her lap.

It was official.

The world had gone bonkers.

_Lucius Malfoy was in her Muggle parents’ home pretending to be her boyfriend._

“Call me Emily, please,” Hermione’s mother said kindly.

“I’m so sorry,” Hermione blurted. “Mm- Lucius, may I speak to you alone for a moment, please?” she asked, voice burbling with barely-contained laughter.

“Of course,” he replied, getting up and holding her chair as she stood.

Once in the modest entryway with Lucius, Hermione allowed her chuckles to escape.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered.

“Astoria came home about an hour ago and Draco asked me to fill-in,” Lucius whispered back.

“I wish he’d just sent an owl,” she sighed, her giggles finally subsiding.

“Would you like me to leave?”

Hearing the hurt in his tone, Hermione focused her attention on Lucius. It was singly strange that he had volunteered to help her. While she and Draco were on friendly terms, she and Lucius had never spoken. She’d been to his home as Draco’s guest and even attended Narcissa’s funeral but her relationship with the Malfoy heir had never included the Malfoy patriarch.

“No,” Hermione answered, intrigued by Lucius’ choice to help her. “Forgive me, I was just surprised. In fact, I can’t thank you enough for coming.”

“Is my attire appropriate..?” he asked, fingering the lapels of his suit jacket.

“You look… Quite dashing,” Hermione confessed, drinking in the wizard’s stature in a well-fitted suit. “Why are you doing this for me?” she asked suddenly.

“You’re a friend of Draco’s… He doesn’t have many.”

Touched by the unexpected sentiment, Hermione met Lucius’ grey eyes and felt a sharp sting of attraction. What would it be like to kiss him? She moved closer to Lucius but limited herself to shyly guiding his arm up and tucking hers into it.

“Allow me to introduce you properly. This evening should be over fairly soon. Thank you, again.” She said softly, electrically aware of the wizard beside her. 

As they reached the dining room, Lucius lifted Hermione’s hand and pressed a lingering kiss to her knuckles. Warmth crawled up her neck; the wizard could melt knickers! And by the wicked glint in his eye, he knew it.

“You’re quite welcome, my dear,” he purred.

Hermione floated back to her seat, mindful of Lucius holding it for her. Utterly distracted by her new and exciting thoughts about the wizard, she didn’t realize that her parents were staring and had seen his less-than-private gesture.

David cleared his throat and Hermione blinked, almost surprised to find herself at the dinner table.

“Oh, sorry,” she excused herself. “This is Lucius Malfoy. Lucius, these are my parents, David and Emily Granger.”

“Welcome, Lucius. It’s lovely to officially meet you,” Emily offered in a steady voice.

“Thank you. Please, accept my apologies for being late.”

“Don’t think anything of it. I hope you’re hungry,” Emily replied with a grin.

Hermione noticed that her father wasn’t saying much. He seemed to be studying Lucius with critical closeness. She could only imagine what he was thinking. Well, it served him right for joining his wife’s crusade to see her married!

“Lucas, is it?” David asked gruffly. “Are you a – uh. What is it you do?”

“He’s a wizard, Dad. And it’s _Lucius_.” Hermione retorted, passing him the potatoes with a jerky movement.

“Close enough,” Lucius added with a quick tweak of Hermione’s elbow that left her speechless for a moment. His casual touches seemed to rob her of the ability to think not to mention a desire for more.

“I suppose you’d call me an investor,” Lucius explained, spooning carrots onto his plate with a finesse that captivated Hermione’s attention. He seemed to move with a poetic eloquence; as if painstakingly practiced and choreographed.

“In what sort of ventures do you invest?” Emily asked, leaning forward with bright curiosity.

“At the moment, nothing. I’m waiting for some issues in the Wizarding World to resolve themselves,” Lucius answered between bites.

Hermione appreciated Lucius’ discretion. She was not wholly truthful with her parents regarding the recent war. Thoughts of the war sobered her a bit; for a moment, she’d forgotten that she and Lucius had been on opposite sides. Of course, he had made the right decision in the end and had been pardoned for his activities as a Death Eater.

“You’re _retired_, then?”

Hermione could have melted into a little puddle of embarrassed goo. Her father was attacking Lucius Malfoy’s age! Before she could sputter any sort of interruption, Lucius gave a forced chuckle.

“An extended vacation,” the wizard countered.

Infuriated by her father’s behavior, Hermione stewed and shoved roast and potatoes around her plate.

“Can I get you a drink, Lucius? How about some wine?” Emily asked, already in the kitchen. “David, come help me,” she added in a sharp command.

“I’m not familiar with Muggle vintages,” Lucius murmured to Hermione.

“Some are quite good,” Hermione replied, sad that she’d felt the need to bring a pretend boyfriend to dinner. Her parents may have pushed the issue but it was really her fault for subjecting Lucius to her father’s judgmental comments.

Sensing Lucius’ stare, Hermione met his gaze.

“Would you like to leave?” she asked.

“No,” he said quickly.

Hermione frowned. Draco would be long gone if he had been so insulted.

“You’ll owe me a favor for this,” Lucius whispered and pressed a kiss to her hair as her parents reentered the dining room.

David topped off Hermione’s glass then poured generous amounts of wine for Emily, himself, and Lucius.

“I’m quite protective of my daughter,” David announced, voice gruff again.

“I understand only too well,” Lucius concurred with evident conviction.

“Have you children?” Emily asked with delight.

Hermione’s heart skipped. Oh dear. Her dad’s grudging goodwill would simply evaporate!

“I do. A son.”

“How old is he?” Emily asked, all smiles.

_Shit_.

“He’s twenty,” Lucius replied with lifted brows, waiting for their reaction.

“Well,” breathed Emily. “That’s… That’s a _grown_ son.”

Hermione glanced at her father. He appeared unable to swallow his mouthful of wine. Abandoning all pretenses of continuing the ruse, Hermione dragged her hands down her face.

“I think I’ve had enough and I’m not subjecting Lucius to another minute of this. Thank you for a lovely dinner, Mom. Thanks for being a narrow-minded oaf, Dad. Happy Christmas.”

Lucius had stood when Hermione had and was already at the door. He waited there, holding her cloak. She shook her head at him, astounded and disappointed.

“Wait, Hermione,” Emily called, catching up with them. “Honey, your father just finds it difficult to believe you’re seeing a man who appears to be our age,” she confessed, pained.

“I don’t care what he believes. He needs a refresher in manners,” Hermione fumed, settling her cloak.

“It was lovely to meet you,” Lucius offered.

“You, as well. I’m sorry about David. Go do something fun,” Emily pressed a quick kiss to Hermione’s cheek then closed the door after them.

“Any ideas?” Lucius drawled, as if he hadn’t just suffered through an uncomfortable, albeit short, holiday dinner with Hermione’s parents.

Hermione didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She shook her head. She just wanted to go home.

Without a word, Lucius pulled Hermione close and whisked her away via Side-Along Apparition. A familiar touch here and there was nothing compared to being squeezed against the wizard for a couple of heartbeats.

“Where..? Oh,” Hermione recognized the Manor before her.

“I dislike the idea of you alone at Christmas. Won’t you join me?” Lucius invited, drawing her towards the door with an unforgiving grip on her arm.

Hermione watched Lucius through her lashes. His attention, his willingness to pretend for her parents, and his interest in keeping her around was heady. Lucius drew her into the quiet and dark mansion, into a dark, fireplace-lit room, and into his arms.

“Am I misinterpreting…?” he hissed, eyes molten silver in the flickering light.

A content sigh escaped Hermione and she shook her head as she leaned up on her toes to press her lips against his. It seemed Lucius had been waiting for her permission. Hands slid up to her neck and down to cup her bottom, molding her possessively against his length. He eased her lips to part and explored her with gentle probes of his tongue. Breathless with want, Hermione tried not to think as she followed him to his room.

The next morning, Lucius lazily tucked Hermione against him. They were a pile of all limbs. Hermione didn’t know where she stopped and he started.

“Now, that’s what I call a Happy Christmas,” she muttered sleepily.

Lucius rumbled with a chuckle. “Let’s have another Christmas dinner. This time, with Draco and Astoria…”

Hermione giggled, imagining Draco’s horror.


End file.
